


Andrew Needs a Break

by Rory_writes



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Angst, Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Recovery, References to Depression, sad andrew, soft andreil
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:55:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26283748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rory_writes/pseuds/Rory_writes
Summary: Some days, Andrew misses his medication. Sometimes, he just needs a rest and he trusts Neil to hold him together when he takes that break.
Relationships: Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Comments: 14
Kudos: 244





	Andrew Needs a Break

**Author's Note:**

> As always, not beta-read, please be nice to me!

Andrew was exhausted. Bone deep, aching, hollow exhaustion. Waking up that morning had hurt, getting out of bed had been a chore, and the classes he’d been to were an inconsequential blur he wasn’t sure would even stick in his memory because he hadn’t paid any attention at all. The game hadn’t even broken through the black fog in his mind. It was days like this that Andrew missed the medication. Something to keep the numbness at bay, keep him alive. He hadn’t felt this crippled by his own existence in a long time. He was trying to keep himself together as he stumbled off the court, he just wanted to go to bed, he didn’t even care if he didn’t shower and change first.  
The Foxes were filing into the foyer to talk to the press about their win, but Neil had been banned from media appearances for two weeks after riling up the Ravens. Riko may be dead, the Ravens back on campus and in therapy, but they were still the Foxes greatest rivals and Neil loved getting under their skin. Andrew walked past the press and the Foxes, following Neil’s orange bandana to the change rooms. Neil looked up when the door shut behind Andrew, and he didn’t look surprised to see him.

“You were amazing,” Neil told him, but Andrew didn’t even have the energy to wave that away or glare at him. He just crossed to his locker and tore off his armour the best that he could and threw it on the floor. He knew he was supposed to set it out to air and his jersey should go in the wash basket, but he didn’t care. He was still in the disgusting orange shorts but he pulled on a white sweater and kicked off his sneakers, socks and shin guards. He wanted to, no, he needed to sit down. He looked over at Neil who was sitting on the bench to take off his shin guards before a shower, but Andrew’s feet carried him to him against his will. He planted himself in front of his boyfriend and Neil looked up, blinking his blue eyes. Andrew was so deep in his fog he couldn’t even appreciate how pretty he was. Neil searched his face and Andrew just waited. Neil sat up straight and lifted his arms up for him. Andrew felt a haunting of relief somewhere in his stomach, but it was insubstantial and floated away nearly immediately. Andrew climbed onto Neil’s nap and swung his legs on the opposite side of the bench to Neil’s. He hunched his shoulders and leaned into Neil, pressing his face against Neil’s neck. He’d rubbed the sweat from his neck and face with a towel, but he was still sticky and exuding heat from the match.  
“Can I touch you?” Neil whispered and Andrew nodded. He couldn’t bring himself to use words and Neil seemed to know this because he wrapped his arms around Andrew’s back and held him close.  
“I’ve got you Drew,” he said quietly. Andrew believed him. He stayed perfectly still, letting Neil hold him together, absorbing his body heat and hiding his face against his skin.  
A racket in the hallway told Andrew that they were about to be inundated by the team after group press interviews, probably leaving Dan to explain why her vice-captain had been relegated to the change room after the game. Andrew couldn’t find it in himself to care, his mind and body was blank. To Neil’s credit, he didn’t even shift his weight when the door was thrown open and the men streamed in celebrating. Andrew just squeezed his eyes shut. The banter quietened down as everyone took in the sight of the goalie and the striker on the benches in an odd stage of undress, unmoving and somewhat vacant. Jack, the upstart freshman Andrew was going to have to let Neil fight one day, said something shitty and homophobic, but the resounding smack meant one of the other guys had slapped him upside the head for it.

“Is everything okay?” Nicky asked from behind Andrew, voice low and gentle.

“It’s fine Nicky, I got him,” Neil answered in an equally quiet voice.

“I didn’t know Andrew could ask for comfort from anyone,” Matt said, but he didn’t sound unkind. Andrew wanted to say he wasn’t seeking comfort, but he couldn’t bring himself to move let alone tell anyone to fuck off.

“He didn’t, it’s not comfort. It’s just a break, a rest,” Neil replied. Andrew had no idea how Neil knew that, but he was grateful to have someone who understood. Neil was a place that Andrew could stop, could rest and recharge, and not have to hide himself. He could stay here, perched on his legs and curled into his chest, and Neil wouldn’t ask him to do anything else until he was ready. He could let the emptiness rampage his body and shroud him in numbness, but Neil’s arms around him would stop it from tearing him apart.  
Nothing else was said, but Andrew heard the footsteps disperse and showers turning on which meant that they were being left alone. Neil slid his fingers into Andrew’s hair and massaged his scalp in slow circles. Andrew let his head loll a little and even though he knew his hair was damp with sweat, he didn’t ask Neil to stop.

When everyone resurfaced from the showers and went about getting dressed and disposing of their armour and uniforms, conversations started to break out among the team again as if Neil and Andrew were no longer an interesting sight where they sat. Neil sighed softly and pressed his mouth to Andrew’s shoulder to muffle a yawn, and Andrew tried to muster the strength to get off his lap and let Neil move, but Neil realised his intentions and just held him a little tighter.  
“Stay, it’s okay,” he whispered. Andrew closed his eyes again.

“You two coming out?” Matt asked, closer than Andrew had expected. Andrew’s body was slowly coming back to him and he could feel himself start shivering, gritting his jaw against it.

“No, can you tell Coach to leave us out of the powwow tonight? I’ll ring him tomorrow morning,” Neil answered.

“I’ll do it,” Andrew’s brother said. Aaron crouched next to Andrew and Andrew turned his head to look at him, nodding when Aaron’s hand hovered above his shoulder. His brother put his hand there and squeezed awkwardly. A year ago, Andrew would have shoved him away or said something snide, but today he allowed it, even though affection was foreign to the both of them.  
“I sorted out your shit that you left on the floor, just shower and go back to the dorms when you’re ready,” he said. Andrew nodded and closed his eyes again.

“I’ll give Kevin, Aaron and Nicky a ride back to the dorms ‘kay? You just… rest,” Matt said. Andrew heard feet shuffle across the floor as the freshmen filed out, and judging by the resounding slam, Jack went last.

“Thanks Matt,” Neil said. There was a pregnant pause, but Aaron broke it by rising to a stand and leading everyone out of the changeroom. Neil and Andrew stayed where they were for a while longer, waiting until they were sure that the meeting was over and everyone had left, and it was Neil who made the first move. He stood, Andrew still in his arms, and Andrew growled involuntarily as Neil held him. Neil’s chest vibrated with a laugh.

“We need showers,” Neil said quietly, “you stink. But I don’t mind carrying you,” he said. Andrew thought about it for a moment before he hooked his feet behind Neil and wrapped his arms around his shoulders, letting Neil gather their towels and walk to a stall. Andrew undressed himself when Neil put him down again, and Neil set the temperature after locking the door. Andrew stood under the stream, his back against the cold tiles as Neil undressed and joined him. Seeing each other naked was hardly a new phenomenon, but letting Neil wash his hair was and Andrew tolerated it for a few minutes before he jerked away to finish showering himself. Neil didn’t take it personally, just cleaned the sweat off his own body in silence.

When they were done, they dressed, gathered their belongings and Andrew let Neil drive them back to Fox Towers.  
“Do you need food?” Neil asked when he parked the car.

“No,” Andrew told him.

“Okay,” Neil said, getting out of the car. Andrew followed suit and they took the elevator to the fourth floor where the Foxes were housing. Nicky and Aaron were in their dorm eating takeout with Kevin when they arrived, but they didn’t acknowledge Andrew, and he didn’t acknowledge them. Neil followed him to the bedroom and lay down in Andrew’s bed after him. They didn’t touch, Andrew just rolled over to face the wall and closed his eyes, begging for sleep and Neil lay there with him waiting.

Andrew knew that when he’d drift off, Neil would climb from the bed and join the boys in the living room to eat, but that was okay because when Andrew awoke on Saturday, Neil was in his bed on the bunk above with his hand hanging down. And when Andrew climbed up the ladder and curled up beside him, Neil just mumbled a quiet good morning and fell asleep again.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on TikTok (@raeganlei) for cosplay and book related videos!  
> Tumblr:  
> @shippinggayandallthatjazz  
> @tsc-living  
> @andrew-is-foxy


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